Ice And Fire And Orgs
by Brago12716
Summary: There is a mask from the days of Aegon Targaryen, a mask given to the first wardens of the north by him, and it is only after many years, with Ned Stark, that the story is told to someone not of the Stark family, this is what happens after that secret is told.
1. Mask of Legends

Ice and Fire and Orgs

Chapter 1

Mask Of Legends

There is a legend in Westeros, an old legend that not many know about, one only told to the lord Starks of Winterfell and Wardens of the North, and only when they are on their deathbeds does the previous lords tell their sons about the mask and the legend behind it, that was tradition. It was a tradition dating back all the way to Aegon Targaryen and has lasted till Rickard Stark, father of Eddard Stark and future lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, Rickard knew that when he went to the king with his oldest son to get his daughter back he might die. The legend of the wolf mask is not an easy one to tell, it isn't an easy one to bring up either, only the warden is aloud to know it because of a deal made between the original owner of the mask, Aegon Targaryen, and the original Starks, but before Rickard went before the king, he told his son about the mask. Sent a raven to where Ned was and said it was beyond urgent, Ned arrived a little afterwards and it was there that he told his son, who at that point was next in line for Winterfell after his oldest, that should they die he was to tell him of the wolf mask and the secret it held.

At first Ned was mad his father pulled him back to tell him about a mask, but then he was told to shut up and listen, so he did and was told of the curious mask that always sat on his father's mantel, cleaned every year on the dot and finally he understood why he was being told the tale. His father knew that he was going to die when he went down south, Ned asked his father why he had to go but was told that even if there was the smallest of chances to get his sister back, he needed to take it, so with a heavy heart Ned excepted the duty that came with the masks secrets. He kept the secret past the death of his father, the death of his oldest brother, the death of his sister, the bringing in of his nephew claiming him to be his bastard, his marriage to Catelyn Tully, the war with the Greyjoys, and many other trials until king Robert came and made him the hand. Before he left, naming Robb as acting Warden of the North in his stead, he told his son of the story of the mask and the legend it holds, and his son made the same promise that has been kept for a many years, but Ned had the sinking feeling that this is where the promise will be finalized.

Ned was right of course, after becoming hand to the king and then losing it and then taking it back, the king dying and him trying his best to let the truth be known, he failed and now he was in a prison cell, the darkest of them and has so far only had one visitor, lord Varys, spy master. Told him of how Arya was missing and Sansa was still engaged to Joffrey for now, how the rest of his household with him were slaughtered in the streets and the spy master did nothing, saying that he would rather not die while playing a hero, it wasn't without its logic concluded Ned. He did learn that now Cat has lost the queen's brother and he was sure that now he was going to die, he thought long and hard about that, as well as what lord Varys said he truly served, he said the realm, the spy master serves the realm itself, that was honorable he concluded.

It was now a few days later, or at least Ned surmised it was, when lord Varys came again, "you've seen better days my lord," he said as he brought the touch and sole light in the black cells coming closer to him, lighting up his prone form seeing how truly terrible he looked.

"Another visit," Ned asked as if to rid himself of the possibility of an illusion, whether it was or not didn't matter as much, "it seems you're my last friend," he said in an almost amused voice, maybe it was the solitude, or maybe it was something else, but neither could place it exactly.

"No, no, many still love you," Varys said as he handed the man a pouch of water to drink, "Sansa came to court this morning to plead for your life," he informed the man as he took off his black hood and watched as lord Stark took a drink of the water and helped clear his mind.

"On her knees, begging for me, hmmm," Ned said as if contemplating the scene, then he turned to Varys, "did you laugh with the others," he asked the eunuch, he could see the scene in his head, to keep up his role having to laugh at the scene of his daughter begging for his life.

"You do me wrong my lord, your blood is the last thing I want," Varys told the man, yet it was still hard to determine what the eunuch wanted, what ever he wanted this time around would more than likely be the last visit he would receive from his 'last friend' in King's Landing.

"I don't know what you want, I've given up trying to guess," lord Stark admitted before taking a drink of his water pouch, and it was true, he's given up trying to guess what it truly was that Varys wanted, though he could only assume it was much better than what Littlefinger wanted.

"When I was still a boy, before they cut my balls of with a hot knife, I traveled with a group of actors through the Free Cities, they taught me that each man has a role to play, the same is true at court, I am the Master of Whisperers, my role is to be sly, obsequious and without scruples."

Ned hummed at what he was saying before looking to the man, "Can you free me from this pit," Ned asked out of the blue, he didn't really want to get free from it right now though, but he knew he needed to, if only to try and stop something that his gut was telling him was coming.

Varys nodded his head, "I could," while looking around a bit, "but will I," he looked to Ned before shaking his head, "no," the downed man laughed a bit, "as I said, I'm no hero," the eunuch said as if reiterating to the lone wolf something that had already been said to him.

"What do you want, tell me, no riddles, no stories, tell me what do you want," Ned asked in irritation, and just when he thought he'd given up trying to understand what this master of spies wanted, he's brought back into uncontrollably wanting to know what this man wanted.

Varys carefully bent down to Stark's level, "peace," he paused for a moment, "did you know that your son is marching south with an army of Norhtmen, loyal lad, fighting for his father's freedom," the famous spider informed the imprisoned man, and something seemed to click.

"Robb," Ned turned as if contemplating something, the feeling of dread that he felt in his stomach growing with the news, things were coming down worse than what he had first thought, at this rate the mask will be used long not too long after, "he's just a boy," but it wasn't to Varys.

"Boys have been conquerors before, but the man giving Cersei sleepless nights is the king's… the late king's brother, lord Stannis has the best claim to the throne, he is a proven battle commander and he is utterly without mercy," Varys told the lord Stark but held a studying eye.

"Stannis Baratheon is Robert's true heir, the throne is his by rights," Ned said but he started to sound much more detached than before, "but if what you say about Robb is true, than soon you'll have much more to worry about than Stannis," he leaned his head back against the wall.

"Are you perhaps referring to the strange and unusual mask that Robb has been seen carrying around with him, from what my birds have told me he seems to hold it with an aura of respect, which isn't unusual seeing as how it is a wolf mask and the wolf is your sigil," Varys theorized.

Ned nodded his head, "aye, the wolf is our house sigil, but this mask is something else entirely, I won't tell you how or where we got it, only that it was saved for the day that the North feels it cannot remain safe under southern rule any longer, and only be used as a last resort to that end." Varys looked very troubled form this news and rose up to back away, "and yet it cannot ever be destroyed, it cannot be fractured, it can only be used to further the north, only we Starks are allowed to use it, not because it is our right, but because only we can use it at all." Varys looked skeptical that it could be so powerful, "did you not ever wonder, despite the numerous kings, the various years, why in all of that history only the mad king was mad enough to stand against the north, to drive us to a rebellion, but not a full secession from the kingdom."

"Then are you warning me to warn the king not to attack the North," Varys asked, "but the best way to do that is to tell the queen you will confess your vile treason, tell your son to lay down his sword and proclaim Joffrey as the true heir," Ned looked to him as if he was mad, maybe he was. He knelt down beside the Stark again, "Cersei knows you as a man of honor, if you give her the peace she needs and promise to carry her secret to your grave, I believe she will allow you to take the black and live out your days on the wall with your brother and your bastard son. Not only that but with you alive, you can tell your son Robb to not attack, to not use this mask based weapon on anyone and save countless lives in a war that will do no one any good, please, prevent this war that will no doughtily cause the death of many because of one man's life."

"You think my life is some precious thing to me, that I would trade my honor for a few more years of… of what," Ned argued back before resting his head on the stone, "your grew up with actors, you learned their craft and you learned it well, but I grew up with soldiers, I already know how to die."

Varys looked down in disappointment, "pity, such a pity," he rose up from the stone, "what of your daughter's life my lord, is that a precious thing to you," he asked before he left, but he does think something else, Joffrey cannot be controlled very well, he's unpredictable unlike Cersei.

In the coming days, Ned Stark would make his decision, but while he made it Varys went to the king and queen regent and tell them that the North has a great weapon that only starks can use, this weapon was great and would annihilate the south in battle should they provoke them. He would bring up the logic that was brought forth to him, though in a much more regal manner, such as perhaps, 'why do you think the previous kings kept the North in their good graces for so long, the other regions of had their imports, but what did the North provide for us?' Of course, Cersei knew that they provided us with wool and other things, but she doesn't use wool, only fine silk and the sort, so she would provide a snide remark, the only one that was unpredictable was Joffrey, while a fool, he was a cruel fool who was unpredictable in how he acted.

That is what happened, Joffrey acted as cruel as he could with no thought to the future, shown evident when he beheaded Eddard Stark, he never thought of the future of the realm or what it meant to kill the Stark, but Varys did, that is why when Joffrey gave the order he begged not to. Yet the king did not listen and Joffrey ordered Payne to take the man's head, Varys only stared on in horror as his head was taken from him, and nobody could predict what was to come in the following time because of one stupid boy's decision, and what a time was to come here.

* * *

Two years later (red wedding)

It wasn't until much later that the warning that Ned gave was brought to fruition, and while Robb was named King in the North because of it, and he did dawn the mask, it never changed him into something beastly, it did give him great strength though, speed, reflexes, he became powerful. It was great, he fell in love with a beautiful woman, she was set to bare him a child, and for all he knew, it was going to be a great and healthy child, he had a powerful army that never lost a battle, and he himself was very powerful, could possibly take on the kingslayer now. His wife was only mildly disturbed by the mask even, but she's grown accustomed to it, and according to her, having a husband with such a mysterious allure is quite the pleasure, so he was glad to keep the mask and even thought of having another made for his queen, a matching set.

Alas, such a beautiful romance soon turned sour, not from themselves, but from the world around them, he was promised to a Frey girl, but turned his back on them and now he was bargaining off his uncle to take his place as the groom, but by the looks of him, Edmure wasn't sour about it. Though he was about to be after he hears of what has happened, so many dead, his wife and unborn child dead on the floor in a surprise attack, Walder mocking his honor as a person, now Robb was standing there, rattled with arrows before turning to his mother, "mother," he said.

All of a sudden though, Roose Bolton came up to him, and grabbed his shoulder while standing just to the left corner of him, "the Lannisters send their regards," he said before digging a knife into the king in the North's heart, killing him, before the traitor walked away from the king.

The King in the North fell back, but before he could die from it, something happened, he screamed an ear piercing shout, and with no movement made, rose to full height as he became covered in a black aura, and let his mother see what has become of her son as she held a girl. He was one of the most fearsome beasts she had seen once she saw his full form, his feet was covered in black boots that could be mistaken for wolf paws, black leather pants was covered by black shin and knee guards, that was covered by an open in the front skirt reaching lower shin. His belt was leather with a silver pentagon pointed down with a yellow circle in the middle, his upper body was covered in a black shirt, arms had black gauntlets, shoulder pads, a breastplate that had a part of it detached from the rest and let show a type of bumps that moved with him. His mask had changed to stretch past his face and cover his ears, hair changed to a dark silver that flowed behind him, his eyes were the only visible facial feature he had, a deep amber that felt primal, the last feature present was the oddest, he had a horn sticking form his forehead.

There were no wounds on him though, whereas Robb had several arrows in him and a knife wound in his chest, this beast has nothing of the sort on him, "what are you, what have you done to my boy," Catelyn asked the beast that took the place of her son, "what happened to my boy?"

The beast looked around him, feeling the effects of the transformation reach its annex as his power was brought to its highest levels, some made to attack the beast, but it summoned forth a blade from the darkness, it was in the shape of a crescent moon and with but a swipe, they were headless. Others attacked after that, trying to fight the beast that took the place of the King in the North, but it was hopeless, it was a slaughter as many a Frey tried to take out the monster, but they were all defeated soundly and with clean cut that either hit arteries or cut off heads, some bisecting. When it was over and the ground was littered with the blood of the Frey, and all that was left was Walder looking on horrified as his entire family was slaughtered as if it were nothing at all, the beast looked at him, standing in the middle of a massacre, yet not bothered by it itself.

All of a sudden, it whipped its hand to the side and a strange looking knife found itself embedded into Catelyn Stark's head, the look of shock and horror edged on her face as she fell to the ground, dead on the floor with blood coming from the knife that disappeared from her skull. Walder made to ask why he just killed his own mother when the same crescent blade as before was brought forth and with a wishing sound changed form a bit to where the grip was pulled back from the upper and lower blades, he swung it and with a pale yellow light, Walder was no more.

From the sound of things there was still fighting going on outside, many people being killed in an ambush that has been taken place, but this all meant nothing to the beast that took away of all in the room, no one escaped his wrath, his anger, and after tonight, nobody will know of him at all. "What… are… you," a raspy voice asked below him, he looked down and saw the form of Roose Bolton below him, a slash on his chest that let people see his cold and black heart, and the light in his eyes was fading fast, and yet he still had enough strength to talk, quite the strong man.

The beast knelt down and pressed his clawed hand into the man's chest, watching as his eyes grew wide from the pain at the sudden action, "my name has been lost throughout the ages," the creature spoke in a rough growl-like voice, "it's Zen-Aku, the wolf Duke Org, now die." The now named Zen-Aku rose from kneeling on the man and watched as his life ended, he looked around and noticed that nobody else was alive, but the fighting going on outside was still raging, meaning they didn't know of what has happened in here, good, nobody needed to know.

To that end, the best way to cover up what happened here was to set the place ablaze, he's always been one for more subtle methods, but it had to be done, with that thought he looked around and noticed many of the things in here are flammable, good, wouldn't take much then. He brought out his crescent blade in the same position he used to kill Walder Frey in and fired a low powered beam with a wave of the blade, aimed it at all the wood and banners, they readily caught fire, he did the same with the bodies as well, he then calmly walked out and into shadow.

It was night so thankfully because of his dark form he was able to hide in the shadow of the trees, he walked around the battlefield gong on, well more like a slaughter, and continued to do so until he looked over and saw a nice cloak that was large enough to hide his form under, he stole it. With the cloak over him he went to work on his next target, his long thought out plan had worked, since Aegon knew of him and then knew that poison worked against him, he had to go into hiding, so he told the man that even if it was through poison, he still won their fight. So the org told him to give his mask to someone he trusted, with honor, and above all else, knew they would need help in the future, when Aegon asked him why the help in the future, he said that he only fights for those that were considered the underdogs in fights, the losing side. So Aegon gave him to the Starks in the North, believing them to be honorable, which they were, they kept the oath, swearing not to use the mask until they rebelled against the crown to secede from it, and only then only secede after careful consideration, not something done lightly.

Now with Aegon gone, that left those that knew poison would work on him down to no one, and with his power could destroy those houses that wronged him, namely the last Targaryen, Daenerys Targaryen, but how to go about it, he knew of many ways, but where was she. From the memories of the Stark boy all he knew was that there was a Targaryen out there named Daenerys, though he may know how to find her, the Master of Whispers in King's Landing, that would be a man that Zen-Aku knew had the information he desired, his revenge has just started.

* * *

King's Landing (some time later)

Varys was nervous, from the sound of things all of what lord Stark had told him had come to pass, the North had been winning with Robb Stark leading their forces, dawning a wolf mask that gave him great power, he won every battle he had fought in, yet now was most likely dead. Thanks to one Tywin Lannister and Walder Frey acting together they killed him at a wedding between Walder's granddaughter and Edmure Tully, after the initial ceremony was when everyone was murdered, and he does mean everyone, somehow all of house Frey is now dead. A large fire broke out in the castle and burned all of their corpses beyond identification, so now they were left with no choice but to scour the remains for any signs of the King in the North, though Varys did send orders to his birds telling them to find the mask first and bring it to him.

Small yet striding footsteps brought him out of his musing as the recently appointed Master of Coin, Tyrion Lannister came into the room, Joffrey was smiling largely at the news, "killed a few puppies today," Tyrion remarked, also noticing the boy's smile for some unknown reason.

"We have news Tyrion," Tywin remarked with a pointed eye at his lateness, "it seems that Robb Stark along with his mother is dead, I say seems because there was a fire during the wedding of Walder Frey's granddaughter and Edmure Tully, both have also been lost to the fire it seems."

"Robb Stark is dead," Joffrey said in mad glee, "and his bitch mother, I'm sure of it," he turned to Pycelle, "write to the search parties, tell them to find and send Robb Stark's head, I'm gong to serve it to Sansa at my wedding feast," he announced with joy at his plans for the girl.

"Your grace, while that is a wonderful plan to torment your aunt by marriage, I believe that we may have more pressing matters to discuss," Varys pointed out and received a glare from the boy, "I only meant that we must discuss who started the fire that killed so many."

"We will discuss what I say we discuss when I say it, and this is an important matter, I'm going to serve it to Sansa at my wedding feast," Joffrey declared with a glare from standing between Varys and his mother, though even she was against such a thing as serving a head to someone.

"No," Tyrion voiced with a glare of his own to the boy, "she is no longer yours to torment," he stated, bad move on the Master of Coin's part, but at least that took the heat off of Varys for a bit, though what would come next would be quite entertaining he'd have to admit.

"Everyone is mine to torment," Joffrey said as he walked up to the dwarf, he was getting quite mad now and would only increase with the meeting, though Varys needed to discuss things with them seriously first, "you'd do well to remember that, you little monster," the king sneered.

"Oh, I'm a monster," Tyrion said softly, Varys could see where this was going and smiled a bit, "perhaps you should speak to me more softly then, monsters are dangerous, and just now kings are supposedly dying like flies," there was a very thick silence in the room after that.

Joffrey looked shocked at someone talking to him like that, "I could have your tongue out for saying that," this was not going to be a good meeting, things needed to be discussed and it would go along much faster if the boy wasn't in here to do it, "I am the king," he exclaimed.

"Any man who must say, 'I am the king', is no true king," Tywin seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Varys, "I'll make sure you understand that when I've won your war for you," that seemed to send the boy off, making his blood boil more than it ever had before now.

"My father won the real war," oh no, Joffrey you fool, "he killed prince Rhaegar, he took the crown while you hid under Casterly Rock," and now the idiot did it, honestly Varys had to tune out some of what came next until after Joffrey left, he really didn't need that thickness in the air right now.

Though after Pycelle also left Varys knew that he should leave too, he hated this, knowing information that needed to be shared and yet not being able to share it either, "you two," Tywin called to them, "stay," he ordered and they returned to their seats, "about the fire lord Varys."

Varys actually smiled since it is serious business this time, "my birds have told me that the first seems to have started from the inside room, the feast hall to be precise, many perished in the first, Roose Bolton being one of those that have been in the hall when it started."

"That hall would have been closed off if you slaughtered them during a wedding," Tyrion said almost as if accusing them, "they would have shut the door, but made sure it could be opened again to get out, so a fire should not have killed them, they must have died before it happened."

Varys smiled at his thinking, "very good my lord, there are many factors that point in that direction, no candle stands were overturned, the chain holding up the chandelier was burned away while it was hanging, up, the bodies under it crushed yet none looked to be fleeing form it. Knife wounds and slashes beyond count on the burned corpses of the men slain in the hall, each cut was sent to fatally harm them and none of them were meant to cripple, there was only one that was a fatal wound that meant they died without pain, a knife wound in the skull of a woman."

"Then we should assume that the woman was Catelyn Stark, but I want every other person that is searching the burnt ruins to find anything that might prove that Robb Stark died there as well," Tywin ordered Varys, "and what news do you have of the mask that he wore, anything yet."

Varys almost frowned at him thinking about the mask, but knew against it, "none so far Lord Hand, there is great damage done to the hall, they are still looking through it for any sign of the mask, but it is currently unknown just how much ash and soot berried it beneath the fire."

"Then subtly double the reward for anyone that finds such a mask, and when Sansa's son comes of age he will be given the mask since it is his by birthright," Tywin then looked to Tyrion, "I believe you still have some work to do on that front," he got up and left the table.

Varys knew the next few words spoken were not going to be pleasant so he finally got up and left, hearing the distant sound of Tyrion saying, "do you think she'll open her legs for me once she hears of how we killed her family," he made sure to quicken his pace after that. He still had much to do, many things to set into motion, he's almost ready for a few more steps but he still needs something else done as well, he still knows not of where the mask could be, he knows that it can't be destroyed, and he knows that only he knows that, and the true power it has.


	2. Trial of Tyrion and His Champion

Ice and Fire and Orgs

Chapter 2

Trial of Tyrion and His Champion

There were many small pleasures that many people didn't think monsters like Zen-Aku enjoyed, such as the pleasure of walking in solitude to a destination a long way away, that was not really a small pleasure to others in this world though, more of a danger than anything else, but still. The pleasure of being alone with your thoughts gives people time to think, on the past, on the present and what led them here, and most of all what they will do in the future, that one was easy to determine for the duke org, kill every last Targaryen he could find. What led him to this point was quite simple, Aegon killed his friends, so he silently swore a vow to kill every single one of his descendants that he could, although he is still somewhat shocked to learn that he's willing to kill hundreds of years after a friendship, but it was just that strong.

You may be asking what kind of friendship was so important to him that he'd be willing to kill for it, but Jindrax and Toxica was just that close, after so long of being stuck in the same world together, they began to form a close friendship, together they watched the country the came in. It was named Dorne, now one of the seven kingdoms ruled by the king of Westeros, but back in the day it was a beautiful kingdom of its own, they accepted the three duke orgs like it was nothing and were glad to make them their protectors and provide them with housing in exchange. Of course, first they had to find someone that could wear his mask, which he was sealed back into again, they soon found some very impressive spear wielding Dorne based man, the skill was almost on par with his own skills with his crescent blade without any power, almost. That was the start of their new life, then they quickly became friends with the king and queen of Dorne, soon they were with them all the time, and after a few years Jindrax and Toxica fell in love and got married, and then a little while later Toxica became pregnant, which was unusual.

That is when everything went wrong, Aegon soon descended upon Westeros, conquering land after land and soon only Dorne was left to fight against him and the rest of the army he had amassed, yet it was thanks to Zen-Aku and Jindrax that the kingdom survived for so long. Then came Aegon himself, along with his two sisters and their dragons, they descended upon them and a large battled ensued, they tried their best to get past the duke orgs, but they failed each time thanks to their own teamwork and out speeding the dragons. After the battle Aegon and his dragons retreated, Zen-Aku and Jindrax were able to meet Toxica and the royal family in the capital to lick their own wounds, Toxica and Jindrax shared a deep moment and after a discussion they made plans with the Dorne royalty about the future. Then came the next battle where Toxica saw Jindrax get stabbed in the back through the heart and killing him, she flew into a mad rage and attacked everyone she could, thankfully the wolf duke org knew to stay away as she killed her share, and that is when several arrows were shot at her. It didn't kill her but it did kill hers and her husbands unborn child, she fell into despair and cradled her dead husband in her arms and didn't see the lance that pierced her own heart, and thus leaving Zen-Aku to deal with Aegon and his sisters and their dragons alone and with minimal backup.

Thanks to his efforts though, Dorne survived longer than all the other kingdoms combined and outlasted any efforts Aegon had made until the last battle where Zen-Aku was finally struck in the gut with a mixture of every poison that would work in sync with each other all at once. By that time he had already made his plans with Dorne though, so though it saddened the king and queen of Dorne that something like this had happened, and in their rage held out as long as they could without him, eventually it got to a point where Aegon could only make peace with them. While Zen-Aku still had time though, he did make sure to propose that deal to Aegon, after promising that should the day ever arrive and his mind was brought back, that he will have his title of duke in full in regards to their hierarchy as well, letting future generations know as well.

"Halt, who goes there," a voice called to his cloaked form and he looked up just then to realize that he had arrived at his destination, King's Landing, though it was a bit later than he'd liked to admit, it took him so much time to get there through just walking, the world was quite large.

"Zen-Aku Org, just passing through," Zen-Aku stated, he chose to keep the fact that he might possibly still be a duke only to himself, there was no proof that Aegon kept his promise to him in that regards, and even if he had, the new change in line might not have gotten the memo.

"I've never heard of the Org house before, are you here for the trial," the voice was obviously that of a guard giving how he was dressed in fancy gold armor and had a slightly annoying and authoritative voice to him, good thing he couldn't see the duke org's face or he'd be screaming.

"Actually I have business to discuss with one of the members of the small council, lord Varys, I bring news of Robb Stark's true fate," he informed and the man nodded in recognition of the serious matter that must be discussed, it was very serious business that the man had.

"Very well, I'll escort you to the Red Keep, but the trial of Tyrion Lannister, accused killer of King Joffrey, is starting soon, I'd advise waiting until after when there is less troubles in his head," the guard informed before walking off, expecting the duke org to follow, which he did so cautiously. It didn't take long before they made it to the Red Keep and they were led inside, a quick stop to let them know an important spy for Varys was here at the main gate and they were led inside the hall for the trial, "wait here, after the trial you can tell the spy master your report, should be fun."

The guard left Zen-Aku to ponder on what was happening, the people have grown quite dumb in the years, was it really such a bother to verify the information first before permitting entry, these moronic humans must have gotten too lax in peace to be of any real use to anyone at all. Soon the guards came in and opened the door as more and more people were let in, soon after the people entered did the king and the rest of the royal family and court come in, the queen looked to be nothing more than a woman with a resting scowl on her face though. Then more guards before the door opened and in came the kingslayer leading the group with his brother in chains, those eyes weren't the eyes of a killer though, they were angry yes, but not murderous, when they got to the center they chained the poor man to it as if he was going to run.

The imp looked around before the king stood, as did the rest of the courtroom, "I, Tommen of the House Baratheon, First of my Name, King of the Andals and the First Men, and Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, do hereby recuse myself from this trial," the boy king announced from the throne. "Tywin of the House Lannister, Hand of the King, Protector of the Realm, will sit as judge in my stead, and with him Prince Oberyn of the House Martell, and Lord Mace of the House Tyrell, and if found guilty…," he looked to Tyrion with sorrow, but not hate, "may the gods punish the accused."

The king left after that walked out with two of his guard following him, Tywin set down on the iron chair at the same time as a skinny man and a fat man, skinny on the Hand's right, fat on the Hand's left, and Zen-Aku had to smile to himself, he knew Oberyn when he saw him, he knew. The rest of the room set as well when the other three did as well, Tywin spoke up after, "Tyrion of the House Lannister, you stand accused by the Queen Regent of regicide, did you kill King Joffrey, or did your wife, the Lady Sansa, and if not, how would you say he died then," the Hand asked.

"I didn't kill Joffrey, and Sansa didn't, not that I know of anyway, but I'd say he choked on his pigeon pie, I would blame the bakers or the pigeons, just leave me out of it," Tyrion was smart, quite smarter than the others the duke org might say, though it was clear it wouldn't help.

The first witness for the crown was called, it was some knight who chose to tell a small part of a story pertaining to a riot that happened, "once we'd gotten King Joffrey safely away from the mob, the imp rounded on him, he slapped the king across the face called him a vicious idiot and fool." The crowd all gasped at what he had done, "it wasn't the first time the imp threatened Joffrey, right here in this throne room, he marched up those steps and called our king a halfwit, compared His Grace to the Mad King and suggested he'd meet the same fate. When I spoke in the king's defense, he threatened to have me killed," the knight that was probably a disgrace to the name looked to the imp and his eyes shown to Zen-Aku with hate and loathing, no guilt at all for throwing the obviously innocent man to the lions, literally in this case.

"Oh, why don't you tell them what Joffrey was doing," Tyrion started, with a shrug and tried to plead his case, "pointing a loaded crossbow at Sansa Stark while you tore at her clothes and beat her," now that wasn't mentioned by the disgrace of a knight, very interesting indeed.

"Silence," Tywin yelled and Tyrion shut up, these foolish people, "you will not speak unless called upon," he ordered with a glare to the young half-man, then he looked to the knight, "you're dismissed Ser Meryn," the knight got off the stage and smirked to the imp as he passed.

That was the first of what would be more corrupt individuals if Zen-Aku didn't intervene, so he yelled out, "HOW IS HE SUPPOSED TO DEFEND HIMSELF IF HE IS NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK UNLESS CALLED UPON," his voice sounded like a rough growl echoing around the hall.

"Who dares to interrupt these proceedings," Tywin questioned and Zen-Aku knew this was his time to shine, which he hated actually doing, he stood up and calmly walked from his spot in the back of the crowd, still cloaked and hiding his face from view, "who are you to interrupt this trial?"

"It is not a trial if it is obviously rigged by someone, now is it," he roughly questioned back, "my name is Zen-Aku Org," Oberyn widened his eyes immediately upon the name, "and obviously I'm someone smarter than you to put into question the candor of an obviously disgraceful knight."

Tywin made to reply but it was Oberyn that beat him to it, knowing that the duke org must want Tyrion made a free man, "there is some truth to what he has said though," they all turned to the prince, "it is sad to say but with such rumors I've heard about Ser Meryn, should we consider his account."

The knight obviously glared at the prince, but public opinion is everything in this matter, if someone of the public was able to see through the lie, would it not make more sense to strike his account from the record altogether, they could already see the public talking amongst themselves. Tywin considered this for a moment, then he looked to the man who has spoken out, "I have not heard of the House of Org before, but let me tell you that wherever you are from, or whatever truth you have spoken should not do so in interruption of this court, is that understood?"

"Yes it is," Zen-Aku answered the man who looked pleased with his answer, so he said something else again, "though I'm going to act as the accused's lawyer since he has no legal representation," the judges all looked to one another startled by what he was saying, mainly none understood it. "I'm saying that while you call your witness to give these testimonies that have obviously been rigged against him, I'm going to pick through them and point out all the holes in each and every one, that is a fair and equal trial, false testimonies always have holes in them, and I'll find them."

"Perhaps," Oberyn said again before Tywin could decline, "this is a much fairer way of doing things, the corruption of the capital is well known, but should we introduce a new and fair trial, we could pick out fact from fiction, not everyone takes a vow before the gods seriously you know."

Tywin again considered this, this trial was not going as he had hoped thus far, and it was turning quite hectic quite fast, but as long as there was him and Mace Tyrell, Tyrion will still hang, "very well, however should he be found guilty, you will be punished alongside him as well."

Zen-Aku nodded as the next witness was called, Pycelle, "basilisk venom, widow's blood, wolfsbane, essence of nightshade, sweetsleep, tears of Lys, demon's dance, blind eye," he read from a list he had ready after he had been sworn in to tell the truth by the gods.

"I think you have made your point, Grand Maester," Oberyn interrupted the old man that smelled like a dead cat with a list of many different poisons, "you have a lot of poison in your store," the prince concluded as the maester put the list away in a pouch on his person.

"Had, Prince Oberyn, my stores were plundered by the accused, Tyrion Lannister, after he had me wrongfully imprisoned," Pycelle accused before turning to glare at the dwarf, "I examined King Joffrey's corpse and it was without question poison that killed our late and great king." Pycelle reached into his sleeve and pulled out a necklace from within while speaking, "this was found on the body of Dontos Hollard, the king's fool, he was last seen spiriting Sansa Stark, the wife of the accused, away from the feast," he held up the necklace, placing looks on one point. "She wore this necklace," he continued, the point was a missing jewel on it, "the day of the wedding, residue of a most rare and terrible poison was found inside, it was the strangler, a poison stolen from my store, poison few in the kingdoms posses and used to strike down the most."

"I have a few observations regarding your story," Zen-Aku interrupted with a growl before he could say something about a noble child like that, "you said it was found on the body of the fool, how could he spirit Sansa away and then turn up dead, with evidence conveniently placed on him. What we have here is a case of circumstantial evidence, this evidence does not prove the accused ever had anything to do with the murder itself, if anything it points the finger to Sansa Stark more than him, and the evidence is missing from your stores is neither evidence or relevant. This only proves that there was a point in time that someone snuck in and took the poison without anyone knowing before poisoning the king, another case of circumstantial evidence where there is no real proof as to the accused involvement, why should we believe such tales as evidence."

Oberyn was smiling at him, that argument was well made, and it was rather well put as well, there was actually no way to rebuttal that kind of explanation and you could see Tywin turning his knuckles white with rage at closing his fists so tight at how the trial was going, well played. Tywin himself wasn't liking how that was said, and liked even less the fact that he was able to sway the crowd to his side, if they don't have their support there could be another rebellion soon, killing an obviously innocent man to the public eyes was murder for them, and they knew it too.

Cersei was the next testimony, surly he would not argue with a grieving mother, "'I will hurt you for this, a day will come when you think you are safe and happy and your joy will turn to ashes in your mouth and you will know the debt is paid'," she said what she remembered in conversation. "Shortly before the Battle of Blackwater Bay, I confronted him about his plans to put Joffrey on the front lines, as it turned out, when the attack came, Joff insisted on remaining at the battlements, he believed his presence would inspire the troops," she stated for them.

"Tyrion said, 'and you will know the debt is paid', what debt," Oberyn asked in curiosity, he knew that his ancestor's protector was picking everything said out and planning to use everything he could effectively, this could provide him with some more information to use against them.

"I discovered he'd been keeping whores in the Tower of the Hand, I asked him to confine his salacious acts to the brothel where such behavior belongs, he wasn't pleased," Cersei stated and stood there for a few moments for her turn at examination, he wouldn't argue a grieving mother.

"Getting angry from finding out he had whores in the Tower of the Hand, from what we had heard from Tyrion he is willing to tell a king he was a halfwit for threatening a girl for his own pleasure, that does not sound like someone who would get so angry for a discovery of keeping whores." Oh how wrong they all were, this is where Zen-Aku knew he had them here and now, "it sounds to me that he was probably more angry for something else that you are not telling us, perhaps there is truth, but perhaps it is not the entire truth, clouded judgement from feelings of a lost child." The Queen Regent glared at the duke org that dared to do what they were hoping he would not do, "your love for your son must have been great that your memories of events could be clouded so, her emotional state proves that there is possible fault in her testimony, does it not?" He wasn't going to say anything about something such as the Battle of Blackwater Bay part, that wasn't what he needed, he'd thank Oberyn later for continuing the questioning so he could get better information, the Blackwater argument had no real proof he could use.

Tywin almost openly glared at the duke org, if he didn't have a better handle on his emotions, he had absolutely no qualms attacking a grieving mother, Tyrion would never do that, but this Zen-Aku would, he picked out everything wrong with each stories and turned the crowd against them. Cersei knew this but still glared, it was her son's murderer they were going to have to set free, this scum waltzes in her throne room and is about to get away with a monster, and has yet to reveal his face, "thank you, your Grace, for the courage of your testimony," Mace told her.

Next came Varys, he wasn't their last chance, but he was one that was able to provide something, it was of a threat Tyrion made to the king, "he said, 'perhaps you should speak more softly to me then, monsters are dangerous, and just now kings are supposedly dying like flies'," Varys said. "After we received word of Robb Stark's death, he didn't seem gladdened by the news, perhaps his marriage to Sansa Stark had made him more sympathetic to the northern cause," in truth the spider was having fun, seeing how each testimony was being pealed back one after the other.

"It could be perhaps that the accused as so much compassion for the living that the death of anyone is not to his preference, death is not liked at all and to have news of someone dying during a wedding where they had been invited into the Frey's home was too vile an act to commit. There is also the threat, it sounds like the king had called Tyrion a monster first, and is it not human nature to defend themselves when insulted in such a way, king or no do we not all have the human right to defend ourselves when called a monster," Zen-Aku countered the statement.

Tyrion himself was having a grand time, this stranger that he had never met appeared from the crowd and began picking apart testimony after testimony on his behalf, he didn't speak and continued to do so, even to his grieving sister, he hated that part, but he felt better now. Though he couldn't let his help get every word in, "father, may I ask the witness one question," Tyrion said and was given permission after a second or two of thought, probably if he would hurt himself from the trial he was clearly winning from thanks to the stranger. Tyrion looked to Varys, "you once said that without me, this city would have faced certain defeat, you said the histories would never mention me, but you would not forget," he explained his line of reasoning, it was possible Varys was acting but to be sure, "have you forgotten, Lord Varys?"

Thankfully Varys also caught on to the silent message that Tyrion was giving him, he kept up the ruse and fooled almost everyone, save for their new ally in the form of Zen-Aku, "sadly, my lord, I never forget a thing," the message to the two was clear, he still had friends in the capital.

Tywin thought that would be a good place to pause for now, "we will adjourn for now," he stood, as did Mace and Oberyn, "toll the bells in an hour's time," everyone else was called to clear out save for the accused and his 'lawyer', Tyrion looked excited in the eye, not in the face though.

Everyone was gone and it was time for Zen-Aku to speak with Tyrion alone, "you know that the only reason they might render anything other than guilty is because the crowd would not support such a decision and rumors would spread and there would be more rebellion," Zen-Aku asked.

"I do know it, they would not ever believe I was innocent at all, but they will know that there is not enough evidence to render my verdict as guilty, that is what matters," Tyrion answered as he looked down at his chains, "why did you choose to represent me in this farce of a trial going on?"

"I could clearly see that the easiest way to get to what I want is to ensure that my target remains satisfied until we meet, Varys will come to me and then me, him, and you if you are willing, will possibly go to meet with this Daenerys Targaryen," Zen-Aku said leaning against the witness stand.

"So you didn't do it just to be kind to me or because you believe I'm innocent," Tyrion asked and looked to the duke org that had yet to show his face to anyone, always wore that hood with an unusually dark shadow covering his face, "that is probably the best I could have gotten."

"Better me than letting them talk about you however they want and you not being able to defend yourself," the duke org responded back, the imp had to admit that at least, "they are probably talking about who they will call as the next witness, they'll try emotion against you now."

"Probably, the made up facts and stories aren't doing it for the crowd, that is obvious considering that you've torn them down piece by piece, or at least enough to bring doubt to my guilt, but rest assured, they have nothing to make me lose my self, I'm sure of it," the dwarf responded.

It wasn't long before the bells tolled and everyone returned to the hall, Jaime soon entered and looked over to them, he solemnly shook his head at his brother meaning it wasn't going to end well, they were right that they would play with his emotions the best they could, they knew that. He moved to the side after nodding his head in the direction of the duke org as a sign of respect and thanks for defending his little brother, he nodded back and Jaime could have sworn he saw his eyes under the hood, glowing a pale amber, but he must have been seeing things.

Tywin soon returned and everyone stood as him and the other two judges entered, the crowd all set back down and looked on as Tywin tried to hold in a smirk tugging at his lips, "the crown may call its next witness," he said and they all heard footsteps, and he swore he saw Tyrion gape. Zen-Aku looked to Tyrion for a moment and the imp looked back and bowed his head, great, they turned a love of his against him, the woman was beautiful but to think that they turned her against him was something he didn't like, love was one thing they should never play with. Tyrion followed her with his shocked stare as she strode across the hall and onto the witness stand, she had the eyes of a scorned woman, this wasn't going to end pretty, but Tywin looked joyful compared to them, "state your name," he said showing nothing to others.

The woman looked nervous to be before so many people, which did nothing compared to the stare she was getting from Tyrion, the look of anguish that he must feel, "Shae," she never looked Tyrion on the eyes, never even looked back to look at his 'lawyer' either.

"Do you swear by all the gods that your testimony will be true and honest," Tywin asked and got a confirmation, Zen-Aku could swear the old man was shaking with anticipation from what was about to go down, "do you know this man," he asked gesturing to Tyrion who looked on painfully.

Shae looked back at the little lord and looked him in the eyes, they both had different thoughts the duke org could tell, she slowly turned back around and stood there nervously, "yes, Tyrion Lannister," the wait for the main event was dreadful, establishing who she was is not hastily done.

"How do you know him," Tywin asked her, he kept his cool, just a few more words spoken now and his plan would come out, despite the delay of having the crowd against him this will prove to be a better plan, getting Tyrion to turn on the crowd, which in turn gets them back to their side.

"I was handmaiden to his wife Lady Sansa," Shae answered, and that is where Zen-Aku also connect some dots, she wasn't just a handmaiden, she was probably a whore Tyrion put in that position to protect her, more than likely before Sansa and him got married to one another.

"This man stands accused of murdering King Joffrey," Tywin informed her, this was it, with the words from this whore would put Tyrion over the edge and leave that 'lawyer' of his with no defense against them, "what do you know of this," he asked and that is when it happened.

Shae swallowed before answering, "I know that he's guilty," the crowd gasped after the words left her, "he and Sansa planned it together," the crowd gasped again, "she wanted revenge for her father, her mother, her brother, she blamed their deaths on the king, Tyrion was happy to help. He hated Joffrey, he hated the queen, he hated you, my lord, he stole poison from the Grand Maester's chamber to put in Joffrey's wine," this was not at all going to help them, there was no way they could get help now, Tyrion's fate was sealed and there was nothing they could do.

"How could you possibly know all this," the voice Tywin was growing to hate chimed in, it was Oberyn, he must have sniffed out something wrong and made sure to voice it, he had a point though, "why would he reveal such plans to his wife's maid," he asked, that might not help.

"I wasn't just her maid," Shae paused since she knew this couldn't be lied about, "I was his whore," there were shocked gasps around in the crowd, but then she thought of a way to spin it, and Tywin thought of something as well, especially since he asked how she came to his service. "He stole me, I was with another man, a knight in your lordship's army, but when Tyrion arrived at the camp, he sent one of his cutthroats into our tent, he broke the knight's arm and brought me to Lord Tyrion, 'you belong to me now', he said, 'I want you to fuck me like it's my last night in this world'." She was spinning it like a master now, "I did everything he wanted, whatever he told me to do to him, whatever he felt like doing to me, I kissed him where he wanted, I licked him where he wanted, I let him put himself where he wanted, I was his property," she almost looked innocent. "I would wait in his chambers for hours so he could use me when he was bored, he ordered me to call him 'my lion' so I did, I took his face in my hands and said, 'I am yours and you are mine'," they barely heard the dwarf whisper out her name in a begging tone, only for her to look at him. There was no emotion held in them but anger, "I am a whore," she looked back ahead, "that was before he married Sansa, after that all he wanted was her but she wouldn't let him into her bed, so he promised to kill King Joffrey for her," and that was the final straw with that.

Zen-Aku was about to speak up about since she was a whore, could they really trust that her testimony has not been bought already, it was already said that some people do not take their vows seriously, so it would not be that big of a leap, but then Tyrion got to it before he could.

"Father, I wish to confess," Tyrion you idiot, this is what they want you to do, "I wish… to confess," he barely heard his father saying something to him before turning to the crowd, "I saved you, I saved this city and all your worthless lives, I should have let Stannis kill you all."

The crowd started clamoring at the man now, this was exactly what your father wanted dwarf, "Tyrion," Tywin called and got the dwarf to turn around to look at him, "do you wish to confess, do you admit to poisoning the king," Tywin asked him, trying to get a confession.

"No," Tyrion shook his head as he looked at him in the eyes, "of that I'm innocent, I'm guilty of a far more monstrous crime," this almost sounded like a much bigger confession than regicide, hard to see what that would be, "I am guilty of being a dwarf, I've been on trial for it my entire life." He stated plainly to the damn bastard, "here's my defense, I did not do it, I did not kill Joffrey, but I wish that I had, watching your vicious bastard die gave me more relief than 1,000 lying whores," he looked to Cersei as those words were said and she seethed from the admission. He turned back to the crowd that murmured amongst themselves, "I wish I was the monster you think I am, I wish I had enough poison for the whole pack of you, I would gladly give my life to watch you all swallow it," Tywin quickly called for Ser Meryn to escort Tyrion back to his cell. Tyrion turned to Tywin, "I will not give my life for Joffrey's murder, and I know I'll get no justice here, so I will let the gods decide my fate, I demand a trial by combat," he demanded and knew it was probably a death sentence for himself, but also knew his emotions were to high right now.

Zen-Aku had to give the little man credit, he had as much will to live than anyone he had ever seen, so with an obvious sense of knowing it was bound to be he spoke, "I volunteer to be his champion in the combat, since our fates are already tied, why not give myself a fighting chance."

Tywin did not looked pleased at first, yet there was a slight upward slant to his lips after some thought, it was obvious that this man was no fighter, he was smart but he couldn't fight going by his build, "very well, Ser Meryn, take the prisoners to their cells, the trial will be in a week's time."

Ser Meryn came up to the duke org to take him by the arm roughly, but the glowing amber eyes of the duke org stopped him, "I agreed to fight and share the same fate as Tyrion, not to be a prisoner until then," Zen-Aku said before turning to walk out, "I'll return when I fight." The duke org left quickly, calmly walking to the exit some guards looked to be about to stop him before he glared at them to not even try, they did so, he was brave enough to take on whoever the crown would choose to fight him, but they knew he was a dead man walking anyways.

* * *

A week later

"I must admit, I am feeling a bit conflicted," Oberyn stated as he and his paramour were standing on one side of the arena while Tyrion was brought in, he was still cuffed and was surprised to see him standing on his side, he would have thought that he would be in the viewing area.

"Why, why are you here, to make sure I don't escape no doubt, I'm not sure if my champion can actually fight, I know he can think and talk, but can he actually beat the mountain," Tyrion asked before he heard steps behind him and saw his champion entering the same as before, cloaked.

"Do not worry lord Tyrion," Oberyn voiced from where he stood under the canopy, "he can destroy the mountain, but I am conflicted, I had wished for a long time to kill the man who killed my sister and her children myself, but to have Zen-Aku take vengeance is a great honor as well."

Tyrion looked back to the prince before looking back to the duke org, his amber eyes gazing down to him before looking up to Oberyn, "I was never informed of that, the man I took never even heard of the rumor regarding your sister," he glared at the other side of the arena.

The royal champion came in across the field, he was big for a human at least, shining black armor from sturdy material, but he was too bulky, made for strength and not speed or cunning, "you're wanted to fight that," Ellaria, Oberyn's paramour asked, "he's the biggest man I've ever seen."

"Size does not matter when you are flat on your back," Zen-Aku stated as he reached behind his back within his cloak and pulled out a dagger, he could see the mountain glare at him from across the arena, but the duke org wasn't intimidated, so he glared back with his glowing amber eyes.

A horn blew as Pycelle stepped forward, "in the sight of gods and men, we gather to ascertain the guilt or innocence of this… man Tyrion Lannister, may the mother grant them mercy, may the father give them such justice as they deserve, and may the warrior guide the hand of our champion."

The horn blew for them to start the match, Pycelle walked off and the mountain readied his sword, Zen-Aku stepped forward and drew his dagger flute, the audience laughed as the smaller man brought out something that looked feeble against the giant sword of the mountain. The duke org did something strange though, he took the dagger and brought it to his lips under his cloak and began playing it like it was a flute, and the music from such a thing was beautiful, nobody could deny that, one thing he learned from Dorne was to throw off your enemy with a show.

Once the song was over and the crowd begged for more music instead of a fight, he put the dagger flute away and reached behind him again, this time pulling out a much different weapon, this one looked to be in the shape of a crescent moon, but with a handle on it to be used. The mountain charged and roared as he swung his sword down, Zen-Aku blocked it with ease with the crescent blade and the crowd watched with a gasp as the mountain was easily blocked, the mountain backed off and swung horizontally across but that too was blocked with ease. The mountain lunged for the duke org with his sword to stab him, but the duke org just turned his blade and blocked the lung with the flat of the blade, it easily blocked the cold steel that lunged for him, the recoil from it forced the mountain back and out of frustration lunged again. This time the weapon was knocked up and made the mountain run into the duke org, who stood his ground and chest bumped the mountain to the ground, his helmet slipped off and the people could see his growling, bearded face, the beast of a man rolled over until he was erect and stable.

"This fight is beginning to bore me," Zen-Aku's growling voice echoed across the arena of shocked individuals, "if all you have is basic skills with a blade and an overwhelming size than anyone could fight you, so let me show you how I fight," he got into a stance with his blade at he ready. The stance was simple really, his feet were apart like anyone would guess, anyone that knew what they were doing at least, his left arm brought up almost like you were aiming a spear, but the blade was lifted and brought parallel to the ground, pointing right at the mountain. For the first time since walking to part of the center of the arena, he moved and was before the mountain, while the mountain brought his sword down with his left hand, Zen-Aku spun, letting the attack hit right beside him on the ground while the duke org used his spin. The momentum from the spin let him swing his crescent blade up and slice through the armor of the mountain with ease, the result was a long slash from the mountain's right hip to his left shoulder, and so the mountain crumbled to his knees before his opponent and his skill. "I want you to confess what you did to prince Oberyn's sister, I will hear you confess your acts before I kill you, but you will die regardless," he stated as he brought the crescent blade to the taller man's throat, though with the mountain now on his knees before him, Zen-Aku was taller.

"Elia Martell," the mountain said in a grunt and looked at the duke org with an eye of brutality based madness, "I killed her children, then I raped her, then I smashed her head in with my bare hands," he grunted out, the bleeding was becoming excessive at this point, the cut was deep.

Zen-Aku didn't say anything, but with his back to the audience they didn't see his face, though with the hood still on, they couldn't anyway, but the mountain could, he saw glowing amber eyes with hate and anger in them, this was the reason he hated most humans, fowl creatures. With but a flic of his blade, the mountain's head was gone from his shoulders, and tolled away from the body that was still up, for good measure the duke org kicked the body over and let blood spill away out of the open headless husk that was he the mountain.

Tywin hated to do this, but he had to follow the law, so he stood up, "the gods have made their will known, Tyrion Lannister, in the name of King Tommen of the House Baratheon, First of His Name, you are hereby cleared of all charges," Cersei scowled at what has happened.

Zen-Aku walked away from the dead corpse and over to the still stunned Tyrion Lannister, he put his blade away behind his cloak and let it disappear into nothing like before, he dropped down to his knees before him and took the chains in his hands before breaking them off to free him. He rose, "you now owe me a debt, so you're coming with me away from the capital until your debt is paid," he walked away, expecting everyone to follow him, so they did, Oberyn and Ellaria followed, Tyrion soon after him, "has all of the promise been kept Oberyn?"

"Yes, all three stones are there, waiting for your return," Oberyn informed him with a grin on his face while leading his paramour beside him, that was a surprising fact for Zen-Aku to be honest, not that they kept the crystals, but that he had them in the first place ages ago, he will again.

"Good, but I want any news as well, I may want my revenge but I also want to know every detail about what has happened, I have enough basics thanks to Robb Stark's memories but I also need to know other things as well, the Knight's Watch, Daenerys Targaryen, and anything else," he stated.

"Aw, speaking of the Knight's Watch, we got some interesting information from there, it appears that their 997th lord commander is dead, they say that he died taking a ranging party north and not coming back, one man did and said he saw certain things out there coming for us. At first we ignored it because we had more immediate things to worry about, such as Daenerys Targaryen, she is now in Meereen with an army of Unsullied and a band of sell swords called the Second Sons, two knights are advising her, Jorah Mormont and Barristan Selmy. That is not all she has though, it is said that she has three dragons, they grow larger every year and soon will be big enough to turn their sights on Westeros, couple that with two seasoned warriors and two armies and she is well on her way to conquering," Oberyn explained.

"A child half-way around the world wasn't that much of an immediate problem was it," Tyrion asked as they were walking towards the harbor, he chose not to comment on what Zen-Aku said about Robb Stark's memories, "I would have focused on here first and dealt with my father."

"You would have but he's old and before long he will be dead and gone," Oberyn stated, "this is a long debt that has been planned out, Robert's Rebellion was a not a part of that plan, now we have to contend with Daenerys across the narrow sea with dragons growing by the year."

"Don't forget about the Knight's Watch problem," Zen-Aku stated as they turned enough corners and stopped where they would not be spotted, he turned to look at the three, "I hate to say this but we may need to divide our forces for now," he lowered his hood so they could see his face.

Tyrion looked a bit frightened at seeing such a beast, Oberyn smiled at the protector of Dorne, they had heard so many stories passed down through the generations of three hundred years, how he bested the dragons of old with the help of his oldest friends, he was glad to see him. Ellaria was both intrigued by such a beast and a bit captivated by his amber eyes, what is it about them that had everyone's attention to them, Tyrion though soon found his voice about him, "what are we going to do then, do you wish to go to Meereen or the Wall, it cannot be both right now."

"I had a talk with Varys during the week, took him to the top of the Red Keep and asked where she was, he gave me the name of Meereen as well, asking you confirmed that information," he told Oberyn and the man nodded, he was the confirmation because of trust with the family. "He told me that after the trial by combat, no matter the outcome to or Tyrion, he'd help your brother smuggle you out of the city," Zen-Aku said to Tyrion, "you are to go with him to Meereen, take any route from here you wish, keep tabs on her, mental notes, record nothing on paper." He looked to Oberyn, "you and I will go to Dorne where I will pick up the crystals you have kept all these years, afterwards I will take a ship and sail up to the wall," Oberyn looked appalled, "I do not plan on joining only seeing for myself what it is that is going on up there."

"Very well," Oberyn looked to Tyrion, "I suggest hiding until night before you meet up with Varys to go, it is not safe and you are more likely to be spotted during the day," Tyrion looked as if that were obvious, "I know, just making sure you know, you are new to our plans as well."

"Well we are working together so let me assure you that I am very fine with thinking things out," Tyrion stated with his own clever grin, he was about to turn away from them before a thought accord to him, "please do tell Marcella that I hope she is happy and I'm sorry for her losses."

He walked off after that, taking one of the numerous back ally routes to anywhere else, Zen-Aku turned to Oberyn, "we shall leave immediately, the sooner I get those crystals the sooner I will be able to find out what is going on up north," he said before they left the back ally to go home.

After some time walking, Oberyn asked him something, "have you ever thought about something my lord," they were walking onto a ship so Zen-Aku turned back to look at the prince, "have you ever thought of taking a lover for yourself," now that was a question for the ages, and he knew it.

"That has not mattered to orgs over the course of our lives, but before I came to these lands someone told me a prophecy that I will end up marrying a beautiful golden rose, but I will must first focus on my revenge before I focus on love," Zen-Aku told them before they boarded.


	3. Dorne and Beyond the Wall

Ice and Fire and Orgs

Chapter 3

Dorne and Beyond The Wall

The ship was docking in Sunspear, it was a bit of time before they had reached the city but they made it, Oberyn was leading them through the roads that led to the heart of the capital, than into the palace, "here we are, the beautiful palace of Dorne," Oberyn gestured to the place.

"As Beautiful as ever I see," Zen-Aku said with his cloak's hood covering his head again, he was walking along and reminiscing the old times before the battles that had raged on hundreds of years prior, "the palace is still very nice but let's get on with business, it shouldn't take long."

"Very well," they were led deeper into the palace and through the water garden, it was there that they ran into the couple of Myrcella and Trystane Martell, they were walking through them and they had the eyes of love, brought back memories of Jindrax and Toxica, "aw, my nephew."

"Uncle Oberyn," Trystane called once he heard the call, Myrcella brightened up at seeing her uncle to be as well, they approached them and bowed, "it is good to see you back from King's Landing, how was your trip," he asked with a smile, his intended wanted to know as well, news of home.

"It was as I expected, smelled like shit and the people were as rotten as shit as well," the prince replied with a smile at the younger one, before remembering his manners, "awe, Prince Trystane, this is the famous protector of our home and the one we owe our lives to, Zen-Aku the duke org."

The prince widened his eyes before he bowed deeply to the duke org, "it is a great honor to meet you my lord, as my uncle said I am Prince Trystane Martell," he rose up and gestured to his betrothed, "this is my intended, Princess Myrcella Baratheon," she curtsied to him as well.

"The honor is mine, meeting the next head of the house of Martell is a great thing, I was there when your ancestor gave birth, now I'm meeting his descendant and his bride-to-be, that is forever a treat," Zen-Aku said with a respectful bow back, "I believe they are ready Oberyn."

"Very well," the older prince looked from the duke org to the younger prince, "both of you are going to come with us today, I'm sorry if this interrupts your plans young ones, but this is history being made here today, a Baratheon/Lannister being with a Martell and learning our secrets."

Trystane looked excited beyond words at hearing that they finally get to tell Myrcella the secret, "truly, we no longer have to hide it," the older prince nodded, the younger turned to the confused princess, and kissed her to her lips, she quickly returned it before he pulled away, "come see."

She was led away from the water gardens along with the other three to go see the current ruler of the kingdom of Dorne, Doran Martell, they didn't travel long before they came upon a lush room with fancy pillows all around them, "it is good to finally meet you my lord," Doran said.

"Pleasure," Zen-Aku said with a nod of acknowledgment to the current ruler of Dorne, he also noticed the wheelchair that he was in, according to Oberyn it was the gout, "I do believe that you know why it is I'm here," the older man nodded and rolled his chair over to a certain wall.

The wall didn't look like anything special, it was just a white and blank wall, though it was never covered with anything in all the time Myrcella had been there, but when Oberyn and Trystane both moved to the wall and pushed on it hard, it slid down slowly before falling completely. Before them was a completely different wall, it had three grave markers, one was for a man named Jindrax, beside it was one for a woman named Toxica, the last one in the line was a blank marker, but she could feel something strange coming from behind it, something dark. Oberyn took his hand and with a mighty yell slammed it into the stone, but it crumbled away like dust, revealing it not to be stone at all but just made to look like it, he stepped back as Trystane reached inside and brought out a red pillow containing three gems.

"That morbid mad prince," Zen-Aku stated with a shake of his head and the others looked to him, "that unmarked grave was supposed to be for Toxica's unborn baby when he was killed, they must have only used it for the jewels after we made that deal, again he was a morbid mad prince."

The princes and princess laughed a bit at his remembering joke, then the duke org brought down his hood finally and shed the entirety of his cloak, Trystane kneeled before him and outstretched the three crystals they had animals within them, a hammerhead shark, an alligator, and a wolf. He brought out a three holed dagger before reaching in and picking up the shark crystal and placed it in the center hole, then the alligator was than picked up and placed in the hole closest to the grip, and then finally he picked up the wolf and put it in the hole at the edge of the blade. Zen-Aku turned and began walking away, everyone else following after him quickly, he walked through the palace and towards what appeared to be a secret back door, then they followed again after a brief pause, and then finally followed him to the edge of a field behind the city of Sunspear.

That is when he began to play a song on his dagger, Myrcella was completely captivated by the entire thing, it sounded like a beautiful flute playing the absolutely most beautiful song she had ever heard, but soon the song was drowned out by the sound of the ground splitting open. The earth began to shake and tear away as part of it rose as the other part lowered, out of the quaking ground rose a shadow, that shadow soon separated into three, and soon three shadows took shapes, the shapes of a hammerhead shark, an alligator, and a white wolf, all with red eyes.

"It is good to see you all again my old friends," Zen-Aku said as each one lowered their heads to his level, each one standing taller than the wall itself, but the biggest was the alligator, it was larger than the other two combined and easily able to out power a dragon at full size.

"You are leaving now, aren't you," Oberyn asked the duke org, he nodded before the large animals phased from existence and then the crystals shimmered a pale purple color before going back to normal again, "then I wish you the best my lord protector, all of Dorne is behind you.

"Good," Zen-Aku said before they bowed to each other, he turned to Trystane, "take good care of the princess," the prince nodded before the duke org turned to the girl in question, "be sure to keep this secret, as you are soon-to-be a member of the Dorne royal family," she nodded as well.

The duke org turned and began walking to the edge of the field closest to the shoreline, then brought forth his flute dagger again before summoning the hammerhead shark with it, it landed in the ocean and splashed around some before resting still, he phased out and landed on the thing. He then jumped down and it appeared as if he was now inside the extremely large shark, it dived with a large splash and was now on its way to the castle closest to the sea along the wall, if Zen-Aku remembered correctly it was called Easwatch, and as luck would have it, it was abandoned.

* * *

The Wall (some time later)

It took quite a long time before they reached the wall, to be honest the hammerhead shark had to swim out into open waters instead of going along the coastline, the reason being it's overly large size and the fact that apparently the entirety of the seven kingdoms is looking for him. The queen regent thinking that he had a hand in Tyrion killing their father before he left with Varys to Meereen, interestingly enough it was the shark itself that told him this when it overheard a conversation on a ship that was passing over them, but it was a fact regardless.

So here they were, Zen-Aku and his wild zords in their hiding forms about to go through the wall, the tunnel itself normally would have to be risen from outside, thankfully the duke org was strong enough to lift it himself and then go through before it closed on him when he let it go. The winds were cold and the air was thick with the smell of the dead, he could smell the rot all around him, this was going to be a matter of survival for a few days, so he began to run, he ran through the cold, the rock, the trees, until he came upon a small village, it looked like a slaughter. Bodies lying everywhere, limbs torn off from every other body, if he was a lesser org he would have puked at the scene, but he kneeled down and examined the bodies, he noticed everything, but the main thing he noticed was the smell, there was none, no rotting smell at all.

That is when one corpse turned and looked his way while his back was turned, it launched itself for the duke org's back, only to lose its head when Zen-Aku brought out his crescent blade, the corpse wasn't moving now, but the other corpses were, they began to rise, blue eyes shining. One corpse charged with a sword in hand, it was grabbed by him and it got a blade through the chest, another one came with a hammer for an overhead swing, the hammer was parried and the corpse was bisected instead, then came another with a pickax, it lost his head along the way though. Now here comes another two with maces, they were quickly parried as well with quick blade movements before their limbs were falling to the ground, another came in with a chain while another had a knife, so he grabbed the chain from it and wrapped it around both, stabbed them through. One with a lance was charging his way while he still had his crescent blade in the two tied up, so charged it right back and let the lance stab through their skulls before pulling his own blade free from them and cutting the lance wielding one in two from right hip to left shoulder.

That was all of them, for now, reanimating corpses, Zen-Aku had never personally dealt with something like that, there were rumors long ago of an org capable of doing that, but it turned out to be false and even then, that was millennia ago, beyond the normal lifespan of orgs. What is happening now seems to not only reanimate the corpses, but also give them control over the reanimated, but the body is left in a constant state of what they were when they were reanimated, so a corpse that has been dead long enough will come back as it is. He picked up one corpse's arm and it crumbled off, did the same with the legs and head, once they are killed they revert to what they were at the time of reanimation, meaning skeletons go back to being just bones, nothing connecting them, this was both bad and good at the same time. Bad because while the skeleton was reanimated it could use its limbs even if they are cut off, same as if the corpse was not a skeleton but a freshly dead man with muscle still on him, this was good because it means that they can tell just how limited the reanimation processes was. Can they reanimate a skeleton that has already been burned black before the reanimation, can they only turn what is whole and then it can be separated from the body, these are questions that was needed to know, that way they don't need to light a bonfire every time a battle ends.

The duke org rose from examining the dead and began to scavenge what he could from them, this was not something that he liked doing, stealing form the dead, in any form, was considered to go against his own code of morals, many might be surprised that he has one, others not so. Though it seems as there was no need for these corpses, despite how they looked, they had been dead long enough to make anything they had on them useless, torn clothes that provided no real warmth, no food, no water, they had climbing gear, but that was all, can't use that. So instead he decided to walk over to one of the weapons they used and began to break it apart before using a file one had on them to file out the blade into smaller ones, then took the clothes and torn and tied until he made a pouch of throwing knives strapped to his lower back. He didn't know if they would do some actual damage, but if thrown right they could pin a target long enough for him to either deal with some others or capture the thing without killing it, he still needed to find out how these things were being made and who was making them.

That is how he spent the next couple of weeks, finding out where exactly dead men were and how to stop them, using everything he could ranging from dissecting one alive, skewering one with a long spear, another he tied to animals that he found and let them pull it apart, all kept it alive. What killed it though was his crescent blade, crescent wave, fire, and eating the entire corpse beyond use to anyone, he had no clues as to who made the reanimated corpses beyond them having to be very powerful to not only raise them but control them as well, and so many of them. He kept heading north until he thought it would now be a tad pointless, then he backtracked and headed west, did the same thing and finally headed a ways east, found many corpses moving along the way, most he killed on sight, when he thought of something to try he did so though.

It was after two weeks that he was nearing a place for many people to gather and make a camp, but as he got closer, the only things he heard were fighting, fighting in a battle that was raging on intensely, so he quickened his pace and reached the edge of a cliff overlooking the battlefield. It wasn't a pretty sight, people were dying left and right, then dead men were coming back to life as well to fight those remaining alive, those among the living were seeming to be men of the Knight's Watch and Wildlings, smart for whoever the new commander was to ally with them. Looking closer and he could see one of them that was fighting, thanks to his enhanced sight he saw Jon Snow close to the wood wall fighting those things, then him and a bald headed man going inside a hut, he looked around and saw what they were trying to do, so he'll help them out.

So he brought out his dagger flute and began to play his song, the music began to carry with the wind and the dead began to stop fighting against the living for the briefest of moments, to look in the direction of the music, as did something that the duke org had not seen because of dense fog. The were pale blue in skin tone, white as frost in hair, wore blue armor and carried weapons made of ice, from the stories he remembered, these were the White Walkers, he should have known it would be these beings that brought the army of reanimated corpses, the long night comes. The dead began to move again with a burst of power came from the White Walkers, they began to fight again, but the Whites focused on him now, meaning they had to divide their focus when it came to controlling the dead, that was good for the living and him, made the dead more stiff.

Zen-Aku began walking to the Whites while his song began to finish playing before each one of them, which were on dead horses, began riding his way, and as the song came to a full stop, he switched the dagger out for his crescent blade and charged himself, only using shadow phasing. He reached the first White and swung his blade, the White swung his and a mighty cling rang out, the White seemed surprised so he acted on that surprise by grabbing the ice lance and sticking it into the White's temple, or would have if it didn't shatter upon contact with the skin itself. Now it was his turn to be surprised and unprepared for the heavy fist that knocked him off of the horse, he rolled a bit before righting himself, been so long he forgot what it felt like to be surprised by anything, this might just be a fun fight, so he charged again as the White got off his horse.

The White was tossed another ice lance by another White and made to stab him, but the duke org jumped at the last second and stabbed the white in the neck with his crescent blade, shattering the White like glass, the duke org never expected that but it must be their way of dying. Another tried to stab at him from atop a horse but Zen-Aku was expecting something like that so he dodged the lance aiming for his head before grabbing and pulling, before moving to bring the tip back onto its head before it was blocked with another ice lance, he growled. The White that blocked him swung his own ice lance up and knocked his own out of his hand and into another White ready to throw it and another one if need be, the blocking White then hit the duke org in the face with the blunt of his ice lance and then swung the blade at him. He leaned to avoid it before sending a roundhouse kick to the White's temple, this actually connected and harmed the White and forced him to back up, the one that was on the ground was up now and with another ice lance though so it swung its blade at him to connect with him. It didn't actually connect with him since it was parried with the crescent blade before Zen-Aku swung his blade again took the head off the White, killing it and watching as it shattered upon impact, that was two of these bastards down, the others were surrounding him though.

The one with a white crown on his head looking at him and then looked down to the ground below the cliff, the duke org glanced that way for a second to see Jon Snow kill another White as well, and with their concentration limited, the dead weren't being as animated as they were before. The Night King obviously was just motioning to Jon but then the king noticed what the duke org noticed as well, more of the living was escaping than they intended there to be, so they called for more of their army to come to them and jump from the cliff, just as an added measure. Jon looked up and saw the Night King as well as the one fighting them, it was slowing the dead and giving them a chance to escape, so he sounded the retreat as the dead started reaching the cliff, so the dead speed up to jump farther off the cliff, and unlike the living they would go on.

Zen-Aku saw this and decided to cover their retreat, so he jumped a little ways away from the Whites with a spin while bringing his crescent blade into firing mode and kept it charged up before he got to the center of the charging force and launched a massive pale yellow light from it. The light incinerated most of them upon impact and bought all of them enough time to get everyone to the boats, everyone living anyway, so the duke org jumped back and off the cliff before shadow phasing and landing to the ground and ran for the boats like everyone else. The massive force only began to fall when everyone was only a few feet to the boats, the duke org thought now would be a good time for another wave, so he charged up another one and struck at all the corpses on the ground, the rest of it hitting the cliffside causing it to shake. Then he turned and got on the boat along with the rest of them, except the giant who just walked into the water, the cast off as soon as they could and the dead could not reach them for they could not swim, so the dead that remained stopped at the edge of the water, watching them leave.

The Night King walked along the pear each step sounding louder than normal people would have taken, then raised his arms, along with the corpses that had been attacking killed during the attack, each one raised as though they had not died, the army was big, but not impressive. Not the way it could have been had Zen-Aku not been there and killed most of them with his killing two White Walkers and Jon killing one, a lot of their army fell from being the ones to turn them, so the rising force now was less than half of what it could have been after this battle.

"I thank you for your help in this fight stranger," Jon said to him as they were on the boat, rowing to the larger ships, "it could have been a lot worse had you not been there," he said with a still wary look to the stranger though, he never saw whatever he was before, though it was wolf-like.

"My name is Zen-Aku," his rough growling voice was piercing to the night's air as he still glared at the Knight King who never tore his gaze from them either, "and it could have been much more worse than you realize, the army of the dead complicates everything going on the world."

Jon sighed as he looked down, "I know, the kings and queens south of the wall won't help us though, and while they're still squabbling amongst themselves we're here, fighting for not only our lives but theirs as well, and we can't hold the army of the dead off without their help.

"True, but now that I'm here and I've seen them I can get you help, I have friends in Dorne that will listen to what I've seen and will send as many men up here as they can," Zen-Aku stated as they rowed farther away than his eyes could see of the undead king, "I'll send a message from Castle Black."

* * *

Castle Black (some time later)

Castle Black was barely even a castle to be honest, more like an old fort that was withering away more and more with each passing year, but it was one of the last forts standing for a reason, that reason was only thanks to strong leadership and a will to survive by the men of the Night's Watch. Though seeing all of them blinded by rage and hate as the wildlings were led through the gates was a sad sight to see, and when they say him they didn't know what to think, though they eased when he told them that he wasn't a wildling, though he would need a raven to message allies. He told them that he had friends in Dorne where he left a month or two earlier, and with him being in Castle Black means that there is a far greater chance of success in regards to when the Night King finally decides to invade the wall and beyond, so this was the only place he could be.

Now it was a week later and he was watching from on top of the wall as the winds blew across the sky, he had been up there all night, watching beyond the wall and thinking on where it was that the White Walkers will travel to next, most likely they would go to Eastwatch due to distance. Though it might also be because of the ease of access to beyond the wall, despite what many people might think it would be easier to get to across the wall if they use the wood from the town to make boats, then they would just sail around the dangerous areas until it was safe to land. Nobody ever thinks the simple things and just over complicates things and thinks they have to launch a huge attack instead of just going around things, one thing he doesn't like in this world when he arrived is the lack of thinking about problems beyond fighting and not avoiding the fight.

Now the sun was barely rising from the horizon and there seemed to be news, a man form the Knight's Watch came over to him and informed him of something, it seems that Jon Snow wants him in the loop of things, because he was ordered to inform him of a red priestess arriving. Said how she told them that Stannis and his forces were now dead and lost Winterfell, he knew they were here from Jon and left before he left for Hardhome, now the red priestess is back and reported that Stannis was dead, as was someone that Davos was also saddened by. Davos was another person that now had nowhere to go, with his king now dead that meant that he had no idea of what to do next, so he was welcomed to stay for the time being as well now that his king was dead, it was interesting on what would happen now though.

Zen-Aku just stood there watching beyond the wall until the next morning when he heard a commotion, he turned away from beyond the wall and looked down to the ground and saw people carry someone into a room, so he jumped down and shadow phased to the ground safely. Then he saw who's body was being carried into the room, it was Jon's, so he went in as well when they laid him down on the table, and just stood there silently as if he wasn't in the room, watched as they grieved, "Thorne did this," one of them said, it was someone Jon trusted, Edd.

There was silence for a few moments, this was as sad day when men of the Knight's Watch killed their own commander in their own home, "how many of your brothers do you think you can trust," Davos asked and Edd motioned to the men in the room, "does the wolf know ya." Edd nodded his head, "we need all the help we can get," the man nodded and made to leave before there was a knock at the door and they drew their swords, if the duke org didn't have control over his body he would have rolled his eyes before letting in Melisandre, the red priestess.

She came in and didn't look at anyone but the dead corpse of Jon as he walked to him, Edd looked back one last time before walking out and closing the door behind him, she leaned over him, "I saw him in the flames, fighting at Winterfell," she said softly, as if it was impossible now.

"I can't speak for the flames, but he's gone," Davos said before Melisandre reached down to touch the cold body of Jon, they all stayed there, looking at him as Edd brought back Ghost and informed them of something, "he'll have seen we didn't come, made it official, Castle Black is his."

"I don't care who's sitting at the high table," Edd growled as he approached Jon's body, "Jon was my friend, and those fuckers butchered him," he turned back to look at everyone else, "now we return the favor," he suggested, though there was a glaring problem facing that thinking.

"We don't have the numbers, we may have a direwolf but it's not enough," Davos stated plainly, "I didn't know Lord Commander Snow for long, but I have to believe he wouldn't have wanted his friends to die for nothing," he countered back, reason was a good way to try and avoid violence.

"If you were planning to see tomorrow, you picked the wrong room," Edd countered, of course there was emotions that got in the way of reason, "we all die today, I say we do our best to take Thorne with us when we go," what a wonderfully courageous way of reasoning your death.

"We need to fight, but we don't need to die," why Davos, you were supposed to be the smart one, able to sell sin to a saint, "not if we have help, you're not the only ones who owe your lives to Jon Snow," and that is when realization dawned on everyone else in the room, except the duke org.

Edd looked to one of the brothers he trusted, "bolt the door, don't let anyone in, I'll be back as soon as I can," he left quickly for the help though if he doesn't come back there was no real need to wait for something such as wildlings when they have something like a duke org on their side.

They waited and waited until there was a knock on their door, they drew swords before Ser Davos got up slowly from sitting and approached the door, "Ser Davos, we have no cause to fight, we are both anointed knights, I will grant amnesty to all brothers who throw down their arms before nightfall. You Ser Davos I will allow you to travel south a free man with a fresh horse," Thorne called through the door, it wasn't really a bad offer to be honest, there were only a few men in this room and a direwolf, some of the few will die while all of them will, but they didn't know that.

"And some mutton," Davos added, this is serious business and he's joking, "I'd like some mutton, I much of a hunter, I'll need some food if I'm gonna make it south without starving," well to be honest the duke org would just kill them all but humans do joke when they are afraid.

There was a pause, "we'll give you food, you can bring the Red Woman with you if you like, or you can leave her here with us, whichever you choose, but surrender by nightfall or this ends with blood," Thorne stated again, clearly the moron didn't know that they were just bidding their time.

"Thank you Ser Alliser, we'll discuss amongst ourselves and come back to you with an answer," Davos said and they heard footsteps going away, "boys, I've been running from men like that all my life, in my learned opinion, we open that door and they'll slaughter us all," he told them.

"If they want to come in, they're gonna come in, eventually at least, but we don't need to make it easy for them, nor do any of us have to die," they looked to Zen-Aku as he spoke, "those fools don't see the bigger picture of what they've done, possibly doomed us all, so they need to pay."

"I don't believe that we've ever met officially, standing in the corner and being so quiet," Davos said as he stuck out his hand, "Ser Davos Seaworth," the duke org shook his hand and then retracted, "some of the brothers that were at Hardhome said that you killed several White Walkers."

"Three to be exact, and the name is Zen-Aku, to be honest we don't really need the wildlings since you have me, you'll see what I mean by nightfall if Edd doesn't make it back on time," he stated before going back to being silent, he preferred that to talking of what will happen.

Soon nightfall fell and with it came the rummaging of men outside ready for a fight, "it's time Ser Davos, open the door and the men inside can rejoin their brothers in peace, we'll even set the wolf free north of the wall where it belongs, nobody needs to die tonight," Thorne said.

Davos turned to them, "never been much of a fighter," he said before going and picking up Jon's sword and turning back to look at them, "apologies for what you're about to see," Davos drew the sword and made ready for a fight along with everyone else, Zen-Aku summoned his blade as well.

There was banging as if a hammer was knocking against the door for a while before a larger banging drowned it out, then came a much louder break with a rumble and screaming, then crunching of bones, and then a boy screaming a little after before finally Tormund came in with Edd. They walked in and saw the blood on his clothes, there was a lot along with a lot of knife wounds as well, Tormund actually commented, "took a lot of knives," as if it was an honor to die that way, "I'll have my men get wood for a fire, bodies to burn," he walked out after that.

The next day Davos had talked with the Red Woman and now they are trying something else, instead of burning the body they were trying to bring him back, not as a Walker with blue eyes, but they were trying to resurrect him through the Lord of Light's power, interesting concept. Melisandre took a wet rag and washed his body off with slow strokes before finally speaking a foreign language while cutting some of Jon's hair off, including some from his beard, then she washed the hair while speaking the language before finally standing over his body to ask for the blessing. Yet it did not work, she tried five times before finally giving up, Tormund soon stormed out, followed by a frustrated Melisandre, after that was Edd, soon Davos also left, leaving only Zen-Aku and Ghost in there with Jon's body, but neither was leaving, they both felt something stir in the air. This stirring feeling felt like magic in some way, some kind of energy that encircled the body of Jon, as if cocooning him in a presence of warming light that felt familiar to the duke org, and before long of them staring, Jon shot his eyes opened with a startling gasp, Jon Snow was alive.


	4. Plans For The Family

Ice and Fire and Orgs

Chapter 4

Plans For The Family

Davos came running back into the room when he heard the gasp, he stared at the body breathing on the table as it set up, stare at nothing before turning to look at them in shock, he looked down and saw the knife wounds before trying to get up, Davos caught him and covered him, "what do you remember?"

Jon stared off at nothing again as he tried to remember what happened, Zen-Aku saw Melisandre enter from the corner of his eyes, "they stabbed me, Olly put a knife in my heart, I shouldn't be here," this was strange for everyone, but it also offered a good thing as well.

"No, what shouldn't have happened was you being killed, we need every single person possible to fight in the coming war, that would be a lot better if morons like Thorne didn't think so small in regards to the wildlings, so the lady brought you back," Zen-Aku told him plainly.

Melisandre came before Jon and knelt in front of him, "afterwards, after they stabbed you, after you died, where did you go, what did you see," this was an important question, a true look into what a possible afterlife would hold for all of us depending on what the answer was.

Davos looked on intently, Melisandre as well, though her faith was being put into question recently so there's that, and the only deity that Zen-Aku ever knew of was Animus, so when Jon said, "nothing, there was nothing at all," he didn't really react to anything that was said.

Melisandre wasn't that deterred though, "the lord let you come back for a reason, Stannis was not the prince who was promised, but someone has to be," she told him, though he chose not to answer to that, instead chose to look down at the floor in a still shocked state of the ordeal.

"Could you give us a moment," Davos asked the red woman, this worked better without fanatics, so she left them to talk, he sat down in front of Jon after closing the door, "you were dead and now you're not, that's completely fucking mad, seems to me, I can only imagine how it seems to you."

"I did what I thought was right, and I got murdered for it, and now I'm back, why," Jon asked them, Zen-Aku didn't have an answer and any reason that the Red Woman gives is more or less full of nonsense about some kind of vague prophesy or she makes something up, that left Davos.

"I don't know, maybe we'll never know, but what does it matter, you go on, you fight for as long as you can, you clean up as much of the shit as you can," Davos told him, the advice was good actually, better than anything that the duke org could have said to help him through this.

"I don't know how to do that, I thought it did but," Jon said with a soft shake of his head, he did what was right and got killed for it, this act will more than likely haunt him for days to come, possibly years if they lived that long, but it might not be that big of a burden, "I failed."

"Then go fail again and again until there is only success, it may not seem like it, but there is always success in failure," Zen-Aku stated as he helped Jon up again and turned away as he got dressed, him and Davos helped lead him to the balcony before finally outside. Jon got to see everyone looked amazed at him for what he did, rising from the dead was quite the feet, went to Tormund, said something that got them chuckling, then went to Edd, and Jon said something that made him laugh, then the look turned serious before they laughed again.

A few days later they held the execution for Thorne and the other three, one of which was a boy named Olly, they each exchanged a few words before Jon went to the rope holding the board below their feet so they don't choke early, then with a swing cut the rope and made the board fall. They hung there spasming for a bit before death, Jon put his sword away before walking over to Edd, he handed him his cloak and walked off the stage, ending the statement at the end of the stairs with, "my watch has ended," and it was true, with his death came the end of his watch.

Now Zen-Aku was back on the wall, watching beyond the wall again as the winds blew the snow every which way, it had been two days since and now Jon Snow was leaving tomorrow to ride south, possibly just to get away from the wall, or to just get away from the army of the dead. The duke org couldn't really blame him to be honest, getting killed by sworn brothers has that effect on people, the part of him that feeds off of the memories of Robb Stark wanted to go with him though, but he knew he shouldn't or let him know of the corpse that he's possessing.

That is when he heard a horn being sounded, but there was nothing north of the wall so it must be south, he ran over to the edge and looked down, he saw Sansa Stark of all people ride in with Brienne of Tarth, along with a boy that he had no memory of so he didn't know him at all. Jon came out and walked slowly to his sister before they both ran up and embraced each other, they walked off and entered Jon's office and stayed there for some time, Jon and Sansa needed some time together so it was no time for everyone else to get involved with them.

Zen-Aku though had different thoughts now as he went over to look out over the north side of the wall, Sansa arriving here complicates things, at first the duke org would have ignored his brother side he got from Robb to tell Jon, but thanks to Sansa those feelings were stronger than ever. One thing he liked about his previous host from Dorne was that he had no family because he did not know his family, he was an orphan, which is the only people that the duke org ever tried to possess, orphans that knew not where they came from were better than family that knew of him. Yet when he made that deal with Aegon to possess a future Stark, he never thought he'd get to know the family through just watching them through the eyes of his mask, now that he knows them he know that they deserve to know what became of their brother, he has feelings for them.

With his mind made up he turned around to walk to the other side of the wall and jumped off the top before shadow phasing to the ground, the men of the Knight's Watch and the wildlings have gotten use to it so they barely reacted, Brienne and the boy didn't so they flinched at him. Zen-Aku looked to them and only barely turned his head to do it before walking forward and not sparing them a second glance, he knew the big woman was glaring at him now, the boy was confused though, Davos was talking with the Red woman so he was clear of listeners.

Zen-Aku didn't knock as he went in and saw the two standing and talking about something, Jon looking apprehensive about something whereas Sansa looked determined to do it, he could only guess what it was but he guessed it wasn't time to ask that, only time to tell them some things. "Sansa, Jon," he said their names like he had known them forever, "you two should sit down and listen to what I tell you," now they both turned to him, Jon knowing who he is just looked at him as if now wasn't a good time, Sansa on the other hand looked at him and then screamed at him.

You could hear the men outside talking amongst themselves as they either cheered or grunted at lost bets, apparently they made it on what her reaction would be once she saw him, "Sansa, it's alright," the girl looked to Jon as he talked, "this is Zen-Aku, he's a friend, think of his appearance."

Sansa looked at him again, her breathing was calming down more and more as she looked at him, he looked like a wolf, the sigil of her house, the sigil of that was on their banners, but most of all she remembered seeing a similar mask on her father's mantel, then she remembered something. "When I was in King's Landing, there were a lot of whispers about a mask my brother wore, Joffrey took me to court one time so one story could be exaggerated about how Robb was wearing a wolf mask to battle, one that looked a bit like the one you wear now," Sansa informed.

"Well whenever Robb wore my mask I didn't really take over his body then," Zen-Aku informed and they both looked at him as he closed the door, "I am old, my true age you don't need to know but just know that I fought in the war against Aegon the Conqueror siding with Dorne. After the battles were over only mine and the three Targaryens and their dragons were all that was left, Aegon used a trick with some poison and won against me, before I died I told him to take my mask and give it to the most honorable man he knew to use when secession was needed most."

"What does this have to do with someone stealing the mask from our dead brother's corpse and setting you free," Sansa asked with a glare, robbing a grave was a vile crime in any land, and to hear that someone took something that belonged her family from her brother was wrong.

"I was getting to that part, for three hundred plus years there was no need to secede from the kingdom, but the secret and the power behind the mask was always passed down on the deathbed of the previous Stark lord, until when your grandfather went to the Mad King. Before he left he told Eddard of the mask and its purpose, when the new King in the North was needed and crowned, the reigning lord Stark would then dawn my mask and become king, I would then wait until that king died to set myself free and use his corpse as my body at full power. Robert's Rebellion tore that plan apart and caused a different plan that I had set up with Dorne to become complicated, but I still gave the King in the North some of my power as I had promised I would Aegon when the day came to do so," Zen-Aku informed them.

"Then came the Red Wedding at the twins," Sansa said as she and Jon realized what he was getting at, the duke org nodded, "so Robb really is gone, and you caused that fire to destroy the evidence of your involvement until it was time to reveal yourself," she started to tear up at that.

"Yes, that was an unwelcome change of plans as well, I had intended to remain inside of the mask until the full time, but with his death it left me with only one other alternative, to die and wait to be found by someone I didn't trust to know what to do with it and just leave it alone. I would have just been there existing as a spectator and watched everything play out otherwise, but right now I just wanted to inform you two, you may or may not be the last Stark's left, so I just wanted to inform you and offer my condolences to your loss. If it helps any though, I do share all of Robb's memories of both of you, and while he did think that you were a bit spoiled Sansa, he loved you deeply and did go to war for you, and Jon, he thought that you shouldn't brood so much but he loved you as well," Zen-Aku informed them.

He was about to walk away when Sansa, from the weight of everything they've been told, knowing that a part of her oldest brother was alive, and knowing that there is another part of her lineage that was alive, she grabbed the duke org and pulled him into a hug, crying on his chest. Jon looked stunned, even more so when she pulled him into a hug as well, he didn't know what to do to be honest, his brother's corpse was alive and walking around, but it wasn't like him, he was revived using a form of magic or the power of a god or something, not his brother's corpse. Sansa finally allowed herself to cry, after everything that happened, not knowing what truly happened to Robb, being told that he's dead, being told that even if he did survive that he's probably dead by now, it was just nice to hold a part of something that Robb had become a part of.

* * *

Then next day

The next day they were all eating dinner together, well the three (one and two part) Starks and Edd, Tormund, Brienne, and Podrick (her squire), they all decided to eat together since Brienne was her sworn shield, Pod was her squire, Tormund was apparently in love with her, and Edd was Edd. Well, since Zen-Aku didn't actually have a mouth on him, he didn't eat but he did sharpen his sword off to the side of the room, Sansa and Jon liked him for just having a part of Robb in him, Edd and Tormund didn't mind him at all, Pod didn't understand what he was, and Brienne glared.

"Sorry about the food," Edd said as a way to stop the awkward silence other than utensils clanging and get his mind off of just seeing Tormund look at Brienne like a beast would look at his mate, "it's not what we're known for," and it was working to an extent he was sure of it.

Sansa's reply was amusing to the duke org, "that's all right, there are more important things," those statements summed up the Night's Watch perfectly, people came here, not for the food but for more important things, sadly a lot of those important things were often overlooked.

Soon the door opened and brought two letters, one for Jon, another for Zen-Aku, it was about time too, he sent that message to Dorne what feels like forever ago, so he opened it first and red it to himself and paraphrased for everyone else, "they've began scouring their books for obsidian."

"Good, we need as many people searching for as much dragon glass as we can, the more people that will help us the better," Jon commented in his own silent triumph, though the part for only the duke org about who they thought his destined to be and where she was is concerning. Jon looked at his own scroll, it was from the Boltons, apparently the ones that took over the North and claimed the head seat of Winterfell was the bastard of Roose Bolton, Ramsey, who has taken the name of Ramsey Bolton without a legitimacy from the throne. "To the traitor and bastard Jon Snow, you allowed thousands of wildlings past the Wall, you have betrayed your own kind, you have betrayed the North, Winterfell is mine bastard come and see, your brother Rickon is in my dungeon," he paused and looked up to Sansa then to Zen-Aku. "His direwolf's skin is on my floor, come and see, I want my bride back, send her to me bastard and I will not trouble you or your wildling lovers, keep her from me and I will ride north and slaughter every wildling man, woman, and babe living under your protection. You will watch as I skin them living, you," he would have continued if not for the fact that he didn't wish to read what came after that, "it's just more of the same," he said as a way to keep them from reading such a thing, for one man to say that was unnerving to Jon.

Sansa reached out and took it from him, "you will watch as my soldiers take turns raping your sister, you will watch as my dogs devour your wild little brother, then I will spoon your eyes from their sockets and let my dogs do the rest, come and See, Ramsay Bolton, Lord of Winterfell, Warden of the North." She put the paper down as they all digested what they heard, "he has Rickon, and I've heard him say 5,000 men in his army once when he was talking about Stannis's attack," Sansa informed them all with a worried look, then she looked to Tormund, "how many do you have?"

"That can march and fight," Tormund asked to himself before doing a quick thinking session in his mind, "2,200" that wasn't as big as they hoped but it was something, "the rest are children and old people, and there would be a lot less had it not been for Jon Snow and Zen-Aku over there."

Sansa looked at Zen-Aku and then to Jon, "you're the son of the last true Warden of the North," she looked to the duke org, "the brother to the last King in the North," back to Jon, "northern families are loyal, they'll fight for you if you ask," she told him, and saw how hesitant he was. She reached over and took hold of his hand with hers, "a monster has taken our home and our brother, we have to go back to Winterfell and save them both," Jon didn't look as apprehensive, so he nodded before they looked to the duke org, "are you with us?"

Zen-Aku looked back between them, and then closed his eyes, on one hand if he joined them he may miss the opportunity to see if there was any weight to the claims of his possible destined one, he's been alone for so long that it might be nice to share his life with someone else. Then again, because he's been alone for so long might also make the relationship not work, not to mention his appearance is less than desirable in this land, so aiding them might provide him with an actual home for the foreseeable future better than a love that may or may not exist. "I'll join you," he said after opening his eyes, they silently cheered, especially Jon since he knew what the duke org was capable of, so knowing that he was with them was obviously the best news that he's heard all day concerning this issue, "I can even take on 2,500 of his men myself."

A little while later, maybe a day or two, you could see everyone in a room making battle plans, "we can't defend the north from the walkers and the south from the Boltons, if we want to survive we need Winterfell and to take Winterfell, we need more men," Jon stated gesturing to the map. With Jon in the room was Sansa, Brienne, Tormund, Edd, Davos, Melisandre, and Zen-Aku, they were all going over what they need in order to take back Winterfell, and what they could do to take it back using what they have available, starting with what all they might have to work with.

"Aside from the Starks and the Boltons, the most powerful houses in the North are the Umbers, the Karstarks, and the Manderlys," Davos said before rising from his seat to draw in some rocks on the table to the Bolton area, "the Umbers and the Karstarks have already declared for Bolton."

"The Umbers gave Rickon to our enemies, they can hang," Sansa said with venom, "but the Karstarks declared for Ramsay without knowing they had another choice," she guessed, that was one option, but the truth of the matter might not be as simple as what she thought.

Davos seems to have drawn the same conclusion, "I beg your pardon, my lady, but they know that a Stark beheaded their father, I don't think we can count on them either," that is true, it would be difficult to get them to side with their side because of that choice.

Sansa rolled her eyes in thought, "how well do you know the North Ser Davos," the answer was obvious as to not much, "my father always said Northerners are different, more loyal, more suspicious of outsiders," all of that was true, Northerners are loyal to their own.

"They may well be loyal, but how many rose up against the Boltons when they betrayed your family," Davos questioned back, "I may not know the North, but I know men, they're more or less the same in any corner of the world and even the bravest of them don't want to see horror. That horror being their wives and children skinned for a lost cause, and if Jon's going to convince them to fight alongside him, they need to believe it's a fight they can win," and that was a lot better and much more eloquently put then naïve thoughts of Northern loyalty.

"There are more than three other houses in the North, Glover, Mormont, Cerwyn, Mazin, Hornwood, two dozen more, together they equal all the others, we can start small and build," Jon offered, that was a better plan, starting small is the only way to step to victory.

"The North remembers, they remember the Stark name, people will still risk everything for it, from White Harbor to Ramsay's own door, and even if Jon doesn't I do, Jon is every bit Ned Stark's son as Ramsay is Roose Bolton's, and there are also the Tullys," Sansa offered. "They may not be Northerners, but they will back us against the Boltons without question, my uncle the Blackfish has reformed their army and retaken Riverrun," they all looked at her on how she could possibly know that, "Ramsay received a raven before I escaped Winterfell."

"Sansa," Zen-Aku voiced, "my senses allow me to detect everything that may be amiss to someone's normal voice, a slight hitch, a delay in a response that might be quick enough to come up with a possible lie, so let us make a pact not to lie to one another on information received."

Sansa let out a breath, leave it to the old experienced veteran of many years to find her lie, "I received word from Baelish to meet him in Moles town, I did and he informed me of the retaking of Riverrun," she told them ashamed that she had been caught up in a lie by them.

"Good," the duke org said again, much to the other's shock, "I do not like the fact that Baelish provided the information, I hate it, but with him we have a possibly operational spy network, one thing that led to Robb's downfall was his lack of spies, only using honorable methods of warfare."

"Well, regardless of how it was found out, that's good, the Blackfish is a legend, his support would mean a great deal," Davos said before rising from the table, "Stark, Tully, the duke org, and a few more houses, starts to look like a winning side," he said with a certain tone of voice.

"To be honest, we started to look like a winning side the moment Zen-Aku decided to join us," they all turned to Jon, "you didn't see what I saw him do, he took out several White Walkers in the time it took me to take out one, his powers give us an edge beyond any other house could."

"It means nothing though if we don't have the support of the others clans," Tormund said and they turned to him, "houses," he corrected himself, "Mance didn't use other clans to attack one another, didn't use a force of crows to force unification, just using Zen-Aku does nothing for us."

"Tormund's right, we need the other houses for support first, but we shouldn't under-sell the value that Zen-Aku will provide us in the battle," Sansa offered as well, they all nodded and left to make preparations for leaving Castle Black and either go get Blackfish or meet with other houses. The next day they all headed out, Brienne and Podrick was going to get the Blackfish while Tormund would go and round up all of his people to fight against the Boltons, Jon, Sansa, Davos, and Zen-Aku would go look for support from the other houses in the North to aid in the fight.

* * *

Wildling Camp

"We said we'd fight with you King Crow, when the time comes and we meant it, but this isn't what we agreed to, these aren't white walkers, this isn't an army of the dead, this isn't our fight," a wildling by the name of Dim Dalba told them as the tribal leaders left gathered to discuss it.

Turns out that not everyone wanted to possibly die fighting someone else's battle, but they needed men so Tormund spoke, "if it weren't for him, none of us would be here, all of you would be meat in the Night King's army, and I'd be a pile of charred bones just like Mance."

"Remember Mance's camp," Dim asked them back, "it stretched all the way to the horizon, and look at us now, look what's left of us, and if we lose this, we're gone, dozens of tribes, hundreds of generations, be like we were never there at all, we'll be the last of the free folk."

There was a moment of silence before Jon spoke, "that's what'll happen to you if we lose, The Boltons, the Karstarks, the Umbers, they know you're here, they know that more than half of you are women and children, after they finish with me they'll come for you. You're right, this isn't your fight, you shouldn't have to come to Winterfell with me, I shouldn't be asking you, it's not the deal we made, I need you with me if we're going to beat them, and we need to beat them if you're going to survive."

There was a moment of apprehensive silence, so Tormund spoke back up, "the crows killed him because he spoke for the free folk when no other southerners would, he died for us, if we are not willing to do the same for him, we're cowards, and if that's what we are we deserve to be the last."

There was tense silence in the air before the giant slowly stood up and said snow before walking away, the other leaders nodded to one another before Dim stepped forward and stuck his hand out, Jon took it before they separated, "you sure they'll come," Jon asked Tormund.

Tormund took a second to decide on how to say what to say, "we're not clever like you southerners, when we say we'll do something, we do it, plus it helps that we now have a giant and a wolf monster on our side," that was insulting, he wasn't a wolf monster, he was a duke org.

After the wildlings was House Mormont and since the wildling were already use to Zen-Aku, the duke org was able to meet with them, but with House Mormont they needed to show that they have nothing to fear at first, so he was out of those negotiations, as well as with Lord Glover. It was only after they returned did he hear how it all went, 62 from Mormont, Glover refuses the call because of mistakes that Robb Stark made when he wore the mask, as well as how House Bolton helped them retake their ancestral home from the Ironborn, and they were right.

They set up camp where Stannis had when he attacked, "Stannis camped here on his way to Winterfell, he was the most experienced commander in Westeros, and he chose this place for a reason, the mountains are natural fortification, there's a stream down there for the horses."

"We're not staying here long," Jon told them suddenly, "another storm could hit any day, the snow defeated Stannis as much as the Boltons did so we have to march on Winterfell now while we still can," he told them while they dismounted from their horses and walked to their tent.

"2,200 wildlings, 200 Hornwoods, 143 Mazins, 62 Mormonts, and one duke org that claims to be able to take on 2,500 of the enemy forces, it's not what we'd hoped for, but we still have a chance if we're careful and smart," Davos said to them before noticing arguing, "for fuck's sake."

He walked off to defuse the situation between the wildlings and the northern men, the other three turned to continue walking as Sansa commented, "so he's your most trusted adviser now because he secured 62 men from a 10-year-old," she asked him skeptical about that bit how that added up.

"Ser Davos is the reason I'm standing here talking to you two, and he served Stannis for years, and he may have lost the Blackwater, murdered his own brother and may not have a head, but from what I hear Davos gave wise advise that Stannis didn't listen to," Jon informed her.

"True, I spoke to Melisandre while you two were gone and found out that Davos warned him not to march on Winterfell so soon, not to attack the Blackwater until they obtained a bigger fleet, and to make peace with Robb and his brother to help attack King's Landing, he didn't listen." Zen-Aku informed them while they continued to walk to their command tent, because of the mixed company he had to wear his cloak, "is there any more useful information from Littlefinger, he may be able to get a hold of us some battle plans of the enemy if you ask," he said to Sansa.

"I'd rather not contact him too much, his spy network it large and he probably could get us those plans, but what he might ask me to do in return for them is not something I want," Sansa told her brothers, before they stopped as the arguing behind them intensified and fists were exchanged.

Jon ran off to sort it out himself leaving Sansa and Zen-Aku alone to talk with themselves about something, "he's upset with you still about Baelish isn't he," he asked her solemnly, she nodded with hurt in her eyes, "give it time, he's too honorable and doesn't know that spies are needed."

"Spies I understand," she told him, "spies I will always understand the need for them, it's the fact that the spies come from Petyr Baelish that upsets Jon and me, at this point I would prefer to work with the infamous Spider than ever working with Baelish, that will never change."

"I know, but since we don't have access to the Spider and only have Littlefinger and his own spy network, we have to put up with it so that we can actually know some actual intel for the coming fight, just see what we have, alright," the duke org asked and she nodded before he walked off.

* * *

Next Day

Today they were meeting with Ramsey Snow to discus terms, see if there is any chance to end this peacefully instead of with bloodshed, it won't work but it was custom regardless of what the outcome was going to knowingly be, so that is why the head officials were out in a field right now. Winterfell was not that far away, they could see it plain as day while Ramsey was riding his way to them with his own men, as he got closer it was evident that Sansa was still uncomfortable, "you don't have to be here," Jon told her as the bastard of a Bolton drew closer to them.

Sansa didn't say anything as Ramsey finally arrived and all stared at them before smiling to her, "my beloved wife, I've missed you terribly," Ramsey said before turning to Jon, "thank you for returning Lady Bolton safely, no dismount and kneel before me, surrender you army. Proclaim me the true Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, I will pardon you for deserting the Night's Watch, I will pardon these treasonous lords for betraying my house," Ramsey ordered in a condescending way, and yet Jon never made a single move to do so. "Come bastard, you don't have the men, you don't have the horses, and you don't have Winterfell, why lead those poor souls into slaughter, there's no need for a battle, get off your horse and kneel, I'm a man of mercy," he told him, not really realizing the situation.

After a few moments Jon spoke, "you're right, there's no need for a battle, thousands of men don't need to die, only one of us, let's end this the old way, you against me," that was a good offer, it would save their men's lives, save more lives for the living side, heighten their chances.

Ramsey chuckled, "I keep hearing stories about you bastard, the way people in the North talk about you you're the greatest swordsman who ever walked, maybe you are that good, maybe not, I don't know if I'd beat you, but I know that my army will beat yours. I have 6,000 men, you have, what, half that, not even, and the bulk of your force is made up of wildlings, savages with no mind for battle or working together at all," Ramsey reminded all of them, though the extra thousand men weren't really a welcomed piece of information.

"You do have the numbers," Zen-Aku spoke up and turned everyone's focus on him, "but that is all you have," he brought down his hood and revealed his face, "tell me bastard," Ramsey scowled, "what happens when we introduce monsters into the field, will numbers count then?"

Ramsey's eyes gained a certain spark to them, then he chuckled, "they're good, very good," his finger shook in their direction, "tell me, will you let your little brother die because you're too proud to surrender," he motioned to the Umber with him and he pulled out a direwolf's head. They stared at it for a bit, letting the look of the old beast grab their attention and let it feel them with dread, "now if you want to save him," Sansa interrupted him by telling him he was gong to die, even calling him a bastard, before riding off, there was nothing left for her to say after that. "She's a fine woman your sister, I look forward to having her back in my bed," Ramsey stated with a smile as he contemplated on what to say next, "and you're all fin-looking men, my dogs are desperate to meet you, I haven't fed them for seven days, they're ravenous, I wonder which."

"Tell me bastard," Zen-Aku interrupted him before he could continue and got another scowl from Ramsey, "what happens to your army when they get word that they will be fighting monsters in the morning, how they will die because their lord decided to fight and die instead of kneel himself." The duke org turned and began riding away, this was going to drive the bastard boy of Roose mad with rage, being interrupted and constantly being called a bastard as well, constant reminders that his position of birth was nothing, no matter what he thought of himself, he was nothing.


End file.
